plasma cutter

[ted russell]

hi guys, need advice once again please. looking at very cheap plasma cutter advertised on e/bay.
its a 50amp and cuts between 1&14mm. never used or even seen a plas cutter. would this be suitable for use with a small 50litre compressor. I cut my defender rear cross member out with a disc and a long drawn out process it was. is it worth buying or give it a swerve. regards teddy boy.

 

[gaz1]

try this thread

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/10mm-clean-cut-with-cut50.77156/

 

[rtbcomp]

Any chance of a link to the actual item?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Coincidentally, I've got an offer in on an eBay Cut50 plasma at the moment, just waiting to see if my 'Best Offer' is accepted. Christmas present to myself.........

They all seem to be much of a muchness [apart from having Pilot Arc or not and, in some cases, the lead lengths]. @skotl used his on a 25L compressor when he first got it - iirc it's a case of waiting for it to catch up and OK for small/short cuts. Well, I hope so because I've only got a small 25L job.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Email this morning to say the Seller has accepted my offer [well, it was my second offer, actually - who ever pays B-I-N price listed straight off? ]. Paid for so just a case of waiting now.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

On the back of this, is 'normal' welding PPE OK for plasma cutting, maybe with the mask set to 'grinding' mode? Or a simple full-face clear shield?

 

[Perry Owens]

I wear tig gloves and a a green shade 5 face shield. Seems ok so far but I don't use my plasma for long periods.

 

[AdrianH]

May I suggest ear defenders as a must when plasma cutting, it can get very LOUD!

Adrian

 

[skotl]

On the back of this, is 'normal' welding PPE OK for plasma cutting, maybe with the mask set to 'grinding' mode? Or a simple full-face clear shield?

Congrats on your impending arrival

I wear either a full face clear shield or Bolle Shade 5 glasses. As long as the arc is penetrating there's not much of a glare...

Heavy gloves are a must (and the cut-steel ends up heckuva hot) as are safety boots and (ideally) flameproof overalls / strides - there's a lot of molten metal and sparks hitting the floor while you're cutting.

Edit: and, as Adrian says, ear defenders if you're doing anything more than a quick cut

 

[cumbriasteve]

Looking forward to an in depth 'unboxing and using my shiny new plasma cutter' thread, even photos of the cut that went wrong and how the burn scars are doing

 

[slim_boy_fat]

there's a lot of molten metal and sparks hitting the floor while you're cutting.

Thanks. Like my welding [except TIGing which will need much Winter practise ] I'll have to cut outside for fear of setting the shed alight

Looking forward to having a go, but if Thursday's forecast is right everything up here will be white...and too cold to be out. Probably be 7-10 days before it arrives anyway, I expect.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Looking forward to an in depth 'unboxing and using my shiny new plasma cutter' thread, even photos of the cut that went wrong and how the burn scars are doing

I won't bore anyone with the un-boxing/assembling as I'm sure you'll all have seen that elsewhere, but maybe online crowd-funding for burns creams and a private nurse would be an idea

 

[cumbriasteve]

but maybe online crowd-funding for burns creams and a private nurse would be an idea

Xmas is near and lots to buy, I suggest attending a pain management course if you are hoping on funds

 

[gaz1]

if you do outside like i do make sure the rd cant it for the cars going past

otherwise i find the welding mask i have i can use it for plasma as well as welding but i have it on the grinder mode instead and the green tint is enough

however if cutting in a straight line i find a piece of angle iron gives a loverly straight edge and i have done some circles by hand

 

[skotl]

if you do outside like i do make sure the rd cant it for the cars going past

Do you mean make sure the cars don't see it, for arc eye concerns?
If so, there's no need to worry - while bright, it's not in the same spectrum as welding arc and doesn't cause eye damage.

however if cutting in a straight line i find a piece of angle iron gives a loverly straight edge and i have done some circles by hand

Good point! I use sacrificial wood as a guide as I found it's good for a number of cuts and there's no chance of accidentally gouging it as there is with steel.
But a clamped guide makes a huge difference to straight cuts.

 

[gaz1]

as quoted i use an angle iron but ive never accidently gouged it yet

the piece i use is about 2-3ft long 3mm thick and gives loverly straight line whilst cutting all i do is get it near the edge im cutting and press the trigger and away i go at a certain speed

ive used it flat on both edges and also holding it in one of the handles using a glove if doing a few cuts the angle does become warm

 

[slim_boy_fat]

if you do outside like i do make sure the rd cant it for the cars going past

Thanks, but no danger as I'm well back from any public access/view [well, my neighbour(s) could see but one knows the score and the other is warned not to look ]

Email this a.m.saying it's been dispatched

 

[Ton-up]

Heavy gloves are a must (and the cut-steel ends up heckuva hot) as are safety boots and (ideally) flameproof overalls / strides - there's a lot of molten metal and sparks hitting the floor while you're cutting.

I find it helpful to have a piece of ply, about 2ft square, to lean up against your legs to stop the lumps of hot metal.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Email this a.m.saying it's been dispatched

Email tracking # didn't check out on DHL so contacted Seller(s) to get confirmation it was right. Reply...same tracking number. Asked again, (at least they replied by return , and got FULL details ) this morning. As I was just signing onto the 'Bay to thank them, Courier van drew up and made the delivery.

Un-boxing will wait until it's not too cold, wet and windy to go to the shed, and I'm not unpacking in the house.

Is 'meteorological lassitude' even a medically recognised malady?

 

[AdrianH]

Good news, get it unpacked, you know you want to! Thermals that's what you need up there.

Your small parcel was posted today you should get that soon and I have just bought another Cut40, £10 plus postage, used, faulty, but hope to be able to sort and use as a spare cutter for when mine goes again

Adrian.